Titanic Dreaming
by Aurora513
Summary: A young girl suddenly finds herself upon the deck of the Titanic with people she knew from the future...she must make choices and figure out who she really is before it is too late. Ch 4 coming soon hopefully!
1. Titanic Dreams

Author's note: Hello everyone! I started this story almost 2 years ago but now I've reformated it and added to it a bit. So if you've read it well then I suggest a reread...and if you haven't then I hope you enjoy it! Reviews are very welcome! Thank you!

Three hours and they still weren't done. THREE HOURS! Why was she even here? And why on earth did she have to play flute! She could be home making up with her boyfriend. Why did he have to be such a jerk sometimes? He could be sweet yes but when others were around he just changed completely. But she would forgive him…like she always did. Well she would if she ever got out this room full of dumb flute players. So there was that whole boyfriend thing and the fact that she had to study for her history test, seeing as how she was three chapters behind. She just wanted to scream "I can't take this anymore!" and walk out, but she was forced to remain silent. Ok, think of something else. Pretend you're not in a room full of 40 flute players playing the same thing, times 3. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

When she opened her eyes she was in a richly decorated concert hall.

"Love, are you alright?" a familiar voice said close to her ear.

"What?" she asked and looked up into the all too familiar eyes of her boyfriend.

"You must have been exhausted, I do believe you fell asleep," he grinned at her and held out his hand. "Its time to go home." She took his hand and smoothed her dress with the other as she stood. Then suddenly she realized…he was wearing a tux, like the ones they wore in 1900 or so. She quickly looked down at her dress, it was a rich red silk with black lace and beading. Definitely from the turn of the century. She followed him in shock to a shiny car where a driver waited for them.

Once inside he heaved a sigh of relief as the driver slowly pulled onto the road.

"I was about to go crazy in there. I can't stand having to stay a proper distance from you," he said as he pulled her close and kissed her.

"Darling, you know its not proper, at least not until we're engaged," she smiled and kissed him back.

Wait! The voice said inside her. Engaged! We're both afraid of that! And we're too young! Where are we?

"The ship leaves in two days, then we'll be back in America. I am kind of sad for this trip to end," he said quietly.

"Oh yes but can't you imagine how absolutely wonderful it will be to be able to say that we were on the maiden voyage of the Titanic!" she said excitedly. Wait, hadn't she heard something about the Titanic! Her head became fuzzy, what did she know about that ship!

That night passed quickly. Her dreams were full of flute music and icebergs. It was the strangest thing. Still she felt a nagging at the back of her mind. She felt as if she were two places at once and could not for her life figure out which place she actually belonged. The new day dawned and her room was abuzz with final preparations for boarding the ship…

The ship was beautiful. It had to be the most amazing thing she had laid eyes upon in quite possibly her whole life. She could see it the whole drive from the hotel to the docks.  
"They say the Titanic is unsinkable," she said excitedly, thought with some panic arising in the back of her mind.  
"It better be if I'm going to have my two favorite girls on it," her boyfriend said smiling at her and his mother.  
"James, do you have the tickets?" his mother asked as she dug through her hand bag in search for them.  
"Yes mother, right here," he patted his jacket pocket as the car stopped and the door opened.  
The driver took her hand, "Careful Miss Crawford. It's a madhouse around here, don't want you to get trampled." The driver smiled politely and guided her to a safe space as she smiled and watched the bustling crowd around her.  
"Rosalind…darling…" James called to her as she watched the ship and people in amazement.  
"Miss…" a timid servant girl touched her arm.  
"Oh yes. I'm sorry…" she jumped and looked to the girl in hopes for an answer as to why she had been disturbed from her dreaming. The girl motioned to her waiting boyfriend. "Oh darling I'm sorry. There's just so much going on!" she excitedly took his arm and let him lead her through the crowd and up onto the ship.

Everything about the Titanic was amazing and she couldn't get over that. Everything was polished and shining in all its glory. Not one thing was out of place and no one seemed unhappy. This would be her home for a few days, and then back to the American society. Back to oppression, but thankfully it would no longer be the same. Now she would have her protector and love by her side. No one could harm them. Last night his proposal had made her happier than her small frame should have been able to handle. The ring glittered on her hand and every few minutes she touched it to make sure it was still there. This was the life her friends and her had whispered about late at night at the girls' school she had attended. Why then was there something about this perfect ship that haunted her thoughts and heart in such a nagging fashion? Why did the seemingly steady floors seem, to her, sink and become soggy only for her to blink and see that everything was as it should be?

"Miss…shouldn't you dress for dinner?" her maid asked at her elbow as she stood gazing at what little of England that was left visible.

"Oh yes…I seem to have lost track of time. Thank you." Rosalind reluctantly walked back to her state room where she once again prepared for a fancy dinner where the talk would be centered on money. But why should she care? The only thing on her mind was love…and the nagging of something bad to come.


	2. Chapter 2

She was late...again! She always felt late. If only getting dressed didn't take so much effort or time. Surely then she would finally be on time. Rosalind lifted her train and scurried down the corridor. If only the ship weren't so gigantic, and so confusing.  
"Drat!" she exclaimed as she turned a corner to find that she had no idea where she was, or how to get to the dinning hall. She just kept going and sped up to almost a run. Why had she insisted on finding it herself and leaving her stewardess and maid to other things? Everyone was always saying how her silly notions of independence would one day lead to her ruin. But she was on a ship, there was only so far lost she could get, and then someone would find her.  
Suddenly she was on the floor and her head hurt something fierce, not to mention she couldn't breathe.  
"MISS! I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were there!" a man not much older than herself knelt down beside her. "Are you alright?" his worried face slowly came into focus as Rosalind caught her breathe.  
"Oh yes. I'm terribly sorry. I was rushing along and not paying attention at all!" she said apologetically and noticed her leg had become exposed with the fall. She turned bright red as she hastily righted her dress and stood, with assistance from the young man.  
"Are you lost?" he asked after making sure that she in fact was quite alright.  
"Yes, I'm afraid I am. I just knew I could find the dinning hall but I have a feeling this is not it." She smiled at her silly attempt at a joke.  
He threw back his head and the corridor filled with musical laughter, which in turn made her add her own laughter to it.   
"I had the same problem!" he said after he finally controlled his laughter. "But I have been informed of the direction and was just going there myself. Would you mind terribly if I escorted you?"  
"I wouldn't mind at all! In fact I would be grateful! Thank you Mr.…….?"  
"I must be rude in every fashion," he laughed. "My name is Montgomery Sterling and I'd have to say that I am very pleased I ran into you Miss…?"  
"Oh goodness! I appear to be rude and a hypocrite," Rosalind teased, "I am Rosalind Crawford, and very pleased to meet you Mr. Sterling."  
"Please, call me Merry. And may I call you Rosa? That is if I am not being too forward, which I am afraid I must be." He smiled nicely at her.  
"I would love it if you called me Rosa. No one has called me that since I left boarding school." She smiled back and thought with a bit of alarm that even her fiancé called her Rosalind and not a nickname, except for the occasional "dear" or "darling."

"Well Rosa, I do believe we've finally made it!" Merry said excitedly as they approached the doors to the dinning hall. "I assume your people are waiting for you?"  
"Oh yes! They must be worried, I'm afraid I'll never live this one down I just know it! Thank you so much Mr…I mean…Merry." She smiled brilliantly up at him and for a moment their eyes locked.  
"Meet me after dinner on the top deck?" he whispered and she could not control herself from nodding. "Promise you'll be there?"  
"I promise…" she whispered back.  
"Rosalind! Is that you!" a familiar voice filled her ears, but it was not that of her fiancé or his mother…it was one of her friends from boarding school!  
"It was wonderful to meet you Miss Crawford. May we meet again." Merry winked and kissed her hand and as he stood back up he looked at her again and whispered "Don't forget Rosa, my heart waits until then." And with that he was gone, swallowed by the crowd of dashing gentlemen and ladies.  
"My darling Rosa!" Evalina exclaimed as she hugged her friend and kissed both her cheeks. "I heard of your great news! I too am engaged! You look radiant!"  
"Eva! I got your letter last week! I had no idea you would be on this ship. How have you been?" Rosa snapped out of her daze to greet her dearest school friend, Evalina Turner.  
"Darling you must tell me who that dashing gentleman was! I know it is not James, and I also know you're betrothed to James. Do tell!" Eva was bursting with excitement, as always. Rosa envied her. It must be nice to be care free and not worry that each decision she made didn't have to do with her family gaining back the fortune and prestige lost by her reckless brother. That was Rosalind's bitter task, but suddenly with a whisper and a wink a new choice arose before her crystal dark blue eyes. Then she was forced to push the idea to the back of her mind, and her friend's questions for later, when her fiancé appeared beside them.  
"Finally, you really don't have to take that long to make yourself beautiful, Rosalind," he smiled at her and said his hellos to Eva.

All through dinner Rosalind could focus on nothing, especially after Mr. Montgomery Sterling was seated across from her. Her mind swam as her new acquaintance and her fiancé discussed business matters with the other men at the table. They were completely different she soon realized. Her fiancé argued the importance of old money while Merry agreed that old money was important but that any man who could build a fortune deserved a pat on the back and as much respect as it was possible to give. Rosalind agreed, but of course she could not comment on such things, she was a woman after all.  
"Rosa, you haven't touched your food. Are you feeling well?" Eva asked worriedly from beside her.  
"She's fine. It's all the excitement of the day," James answered for her.  
"How wonderful it is that you know all about how the lady is feeling without her even saying a word. That must save her a great deal of trouble and words that she may use for other things," Merry said joking as he sipped his wine. The table laughed at the jest but James did not find it at all amusing.  
"She is my fiancée after all. I should know her wants, needs, and ailments without having to ask," he answered seriously.  
"He was just making a joke," Rosa said quietly. She immediately received a look that said "you weren't asked your opinion," which made her lower her head. When the conversation was politely turned elsewhere Rosa lifted her head to steal a glance at Merry, only to find that his soulful gray eyes were locked on her. She tried to smile to make it seem like everything was as it was supposed to be but she couldn't force herself to be fake with him, instead she just stared back.   
"Actually…I'm not feeling very well. I think I had better go lay down. I hope you all don't mind? I'm sorry I'm not quite the life of the party tonight," she plastered a small fake smile on her lips as she stood.  
"Oh dear, be sure to order some tea Rosalind. Would you like me to go with you?" James' mother asked worriedly.  
"Oh no m'am. I'm just tired is all. Good evening everyone." Rosalind nodded to them as she stood.   
"Rosa, I'll come check on you later," Eva said squeezing her hand.  
"It was nice to meet you Miss Crawford, I do hope you feel better," Merry said politely.  
"It was a pleasure meeting you also Mr. Sterling, and thank you I'm sure it will pass. Please don't let me spoil everyone's evening," Rosa left, but she paused before she hit the stairs and looked over her shoulder to see those gray eyes following her.

Those eyes and her comparison of James and Merry had unsettled Rosalind. She knew she did not love James. She had only hoped to love him because he provided a good match for her. His interest in her allowed her family to be brought back into society with their heads held high. They had the name but no money. On her way back to her room Rosalind had a strange feeling. She heard flute music but could not figure out where it came from. Her head ached terribly and her legs went weak causing her to have to lean upon the wall. What on earth was happening to her. Why did she feel as if she were two people at once? One voice cried that she should do what's right for her family. While another strange one told her to get rid of James and go for Merry. This would not be proper but…the flute music grew louder and louder. She simply had to lie down for a bit.


	3. Chapter 3

Rosalind made it back to her cabin and spread herself out upon the couch. She only wanted a short nap, maybe that would clear her head. As she drifted off to sleep she heard a voice that was somewhat familiar to her.

The class room was mostly empty, the other flute players having left after they finished playing. She was still sitting at the desk she had been at, her head on her crossed arms resting on the desk.   
"Rosie…are you alright? Rosie?" a male voice echoed through the fog left behind of a strange dream. A friendly voice. "She's not waking up…I'm getting worried. Should I go get my dad?"

"I'm starting to think that might be a good idea, Matt." An older male voice this time. They sounded so concerned but she couldn't reach out to them and let them know. Slowly she remembered what was going on. The try-outs with the 40 flute players each playing 3 songs. She had fallen asleep and dreamed…it seemed so real. But it didn't feel over. She knew one thing though; she was definitely dumping her boyfriend the next time she talked to him. Her best friend, and the only male flute player in the school, Matt sounded really worried. She wished she could tell him she was alright. But was she? Then just as suddenly she was slipping back into the world she felt she belonged to, and didn't belong to at the same time. Everything was so confusing. And she heard a female voice calling her name this time…

"Rosa?" Eva knelt next to Rosalind. "Rosa? Are you feeling alright?"  
This time she could open her eyes and she saw that she was back on the Titanic with her friend Eva in front of her.

"I don't know," Rosalind replied weakly. "I'm so confused…"  
"Well I would be too. Mr. Sterling is way more dashing and gentlemanly than your James. And he appears to fancy you."

"Can you keep a secret?" Rosalind felt herself brighten up a great deal.  
"Of course! Haven't I always kept them in the past?" Eva smiled excitedly.  
"Mr. Sterling asked me to meet him after dinner…oh no! Has dinner ended already?" Rosalind felt herself despair as having missed the meeting.  
"Oh no, I left early. You still have fifteen more minutes at least. We must get you cleaned up."  
"Oh I can't possibly go!" Rosalind's voice had an edge of disappointment in it.

"Yes you can! And you will! Don't pretend you do not wish to go."  
"Yes I do…but it isn't proper!" A small voice told her to 'screw proper and just do it!' Whatever that meant. Eva seemed to be thinking the same as the voice as she replied "Oh who cares! It's so romantic!"

And this is how she found herself, properly primped, waiting on the deck fifteen minutes later. She hoped against hope that Merry would not take her departure from dinner also as a refusal to meet him. She starred up at the stars and hugged her arms. It was very cold out. But the ocean and the stars seemed to go on for forever and provide a sense of extreme loneliness. The world was so big and such a small person could easily get lost in it. Oh how she wished he would come! Hopefully before her thoughts became too melancholy.


End file.
